Series Description: The North Carolina Peer Support Specialist (NCCPSS) Program, in collaboration with the Community Engagement and Empowerment team at the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services (DMH/DD/SUS) and Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS) is pleased to offer free training to CPSS. These webinars will focus on a variety of topics related to Peer Support. The contact hours can be used for the additional training required for recertification.
Modality: These series consist of monthly webinars. Each webinar will be a 1-hour & 30-minute lecture. These webinars will be live virtual training via the BHS embedded video conferencing feature.
Registration: Registration is free, but participants must pre-register for this training. We will confirm your registration by email.
Target Audience: NC Certified Peer Support Specialists seeking additional training hours for certification or re-certification.
All training sessions will occur from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
| Webinar Date | Webinar Title |
| August 22nd, 2024 | What is Peer Support? |
| September 19th, 2024 | Benefits Counseling |
| October 17th, 2024 | Wellness in Peer Support |
| November 14th, 2024 | The History and Efficacy of Peer Support |
Inclement Weather Policy:
Any announcements regarding changes to the schedule due to inclement weather will be posted on https://bhs.unc.edu. Registered participants will also be notified by email.
ADA Statement:
Registrants requiring any auxiliary aids or services identified in the Americans with Disabilities Act to participate in our training programs, please contact us by email at bhs-support@unc.edu after completing registration to ensure we have enough time to secure the requested services.
Contact for Questions:
For questions, further information, or concerns, contact nccpssprogram@unc.edu
Or call (919) 843-3018
Confirmation Notices and Certificates of Completion:
After the training concludes, participants will receive an email notifying them of the process and the manner in which they will gain access to the evaluation and the certificate of completion for the training. The Certificate of Completion email will go within 5 business days after the training concludes to participants who met the time requirement listed in the continuing education policy based on the length of the training.
| Training | Date of Training | Trainer | Description |
| Wellness in Peer Support | Thursday, Oct. 17th, 2024 | Al Thomas | During this webinar, you will explore the core wellness principles that help keep peers healthy and whole while providing peer support services. Peers will identify obstacles to wellness and techniques that sustain overall well-being. By the end of this webinar, you will have the tools for your wellness and share the information with the peers you support. |
| The History and Efficacy of Peer Support | Thursday, Nov. 14th, 2024 | Wes Rider | This session is designed for peer support specialists who want to deepen their understanding of peer support's origins and how this knowledge can enhance their practice. By understanding the history of peer support in NC within the broader profession of peer support, peers will gain insight into how to use this information to impact the communities they serve significantly. |
Wes Rider
Wes Rider recently retired, after a thirty-year career in the field of social work. After graduating from East Carolina University with a BSW in 1993, Wes worked in a variety of social work roles, most of which focused on supporting people to gain or maintain employment. Early in his career, Wes served on one of the first teams to implement person centered planning in NC. Wes has been a long-time recovery champion and advocate for recovery-oriented supports and consumer run service programs.Rosemary Weaver
Rosemary has been a North Carolina Certified Peer Support Specialist since 2008. She also achieved the Advanced Level National Peer Support Certification in 2018. Additional certifications include Work Incentives Practitioner for SSI/SSDI beneficiaries, Digital Peer Support, Digital Peer Support Supervision, Supporting Older Adults Remotely, and Wellness Recovery Action Plan Facilitator. Rosemary trained peer support specialists under 2 different NC curriculums from 2013-2017. She is a former Chair of the SCFAC and served on two legislative sub-committees (Blue Ribbon Commission on Transitions to Community Living Initiative and LME/MCO Governance.) Rosemary has been employed as a peer specialist for 16 years including as an Independent Living Specialist, a Forensic Peer Specialist in a state hospital and a forensic treatment center, providing online peer support groups and training on effective support group facilitation. Rosemary has presented at state, national and international conferences on various peer support topics, including Person First Language, Recovery Oriented Systems of Care, Advocacy, Forensic Peer Support, and Peer Support in State Hospitals.
Al Thomas
Al Thomas is a Peer Support Specialist, Trainer and Wrap Facilitator for North Carolina, originally from St. Louis, Missouri. Mr. Thomas has worked on countless forums and committees that assist individuals in improving their unwanted conditions and create the reality they desire. Mr. Thomas is a psychology major at North Carolina Central University with a minor in African American Studies. Mr. Thomas has used related skills of personal experience and the study of human behavior to promote self-help, self advocacy, as well as other pertinent skills that result in long term sustainable outcomes for individual to progress effectively with daily living.